ArchWiki has a relevant note here: wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Pipelight : Tip: If you are here because you want to watch Netflix, you do not need to install Silverlight/Pipelight. It is easier to install google-chrome, which includes the Widevine content decryption plugin which satisfies Netflix's DRM requirements. Ensure that your Netflix prefs are set to HTML5. This should move to other browsers e.g. Firefox (who have agreed to implement the HTML5 code) in due course.. Note you can probably also use chromium, the open source version of google chrome, instead.
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WilfNov 29 '14 at 13:31

@wilf it doesn’t work in chromium yet, there are flags that need to be built in, I bountied so that we can get a workable solution
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MateoDec 16 '14 at 18:51

There is now a workaround for viewing on Chromium!
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MateoMay 20 at 1:04

As to Wilf's comment above, "Ensure that your Netflix prefs are set to HTML5". Netflix doesn't allow me this preference option. I just don't see that check box. I'm on a Ubuntu 14.04 system with the latest version of Chrome (64 bit, version 43).
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Rafael_EspericuetaJul 14 at 19:17

8 Answers
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Important: Please note that Ubuntu releases 12.04, 14.04 and newer now support native Netflix playback via HTML5. The solution in this answer should only be used in cases where native playback is not possible (e.g. unsupported Ubuntu releases, browsers other than Google Chrome).

As of December 7th, 2012 the following works on 12.04 and 12.10 (at least).

Note: For new instructions --as of October 2013-- on how to install (Windows-)silverlight (ultimately useful to watch Netflix) in Firefox see at the end.

This will install around 254MB of packages, mainly it will install wine-compholio (a custom version of wine that is able to run Silverlight) and dependencies. If wine is not installed already you may need to agree to use Microsoft fonts (in the text mode window use arrow keys or tab to reach the red "ok" button in text mode when it appears). The download/installation takes around 15 minutes.

Then run the newly installed "netflix-desktop" application from the menu (or from the command line).

If something went wrong in the installation (third party links are involved), don't panic: netflix-desktop will detect that something is missing and try to reinstall it, if that also fails, start over.

When you run it for the first time it will initialize wine and probably ask about installing Mono and Gecko wine packages (I accepted and installed them just in case).

The window will open in fullscreen, which is very elegant, but if you want to have control over the window press F11 right away to exit fullscreen mode. (It may also ask to install a Firefox extension --specially designed-- that makes fullscreen mode more friendly.)

Use Netflix as you would normally do.

It worked flawlessly in my Ubuntu 12.04 and 12.10 (I have a Core i7).

(As you may have realized at this poin, the netflix-desktop is really Firefox 17 running on wine without menubars. Press F10 to gain control over the Firefox menu and navigation.)

Bonus: By running this you have a fully functional Firefox 17 (Windows version) with working Silverlight that can be used to navigate other sites, by pressing F10 -> View -> Toolbars -> Navigation menu on the main window you can access any site and be able to use Silverlight.

Make sure to replace /home/USERNAME/Pictures/netflix.png with the correct path to your Netflix icon.

Save the desktop file and exit your editor.

Make the file executable by right clicking on Netflix.desktop and heading to Properties → Permissions tab → Execute: → Check the box Allow executing file as program

Drag the icon to your launcher (don't remove/move the original)

Now you have a Netflix WebApp!:

Alternatively you can also use the Chrome plug-in and launch it in "Windowed" mode by doing the following:

Right clicking on the app

Select Create shortcuts:

Only check Applications menu and confirm your choice

This will make Netlix available in the Dash:

If you don't like the appearance of the scroll bars, you can enable Chrome's overlay scrollbars. Go to chrome://flags/#overlay-scrollbars and Enable them. Now you have scrollbars that complete the experience:

Actually - to address your question. PlayOn the service which drives Netflix (and Hulu) will be rolling out an HTML5 client which should negate the need for Silverlight (and Moonlight). It's out for the iPhone now - but I assume that shortly will be used to stream PlayOn services to Linux Machines.

Thanks Marco. I already have PlayOn so will be keeping an eye on it.
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GatorAug 6 '10 at 21:10

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The fact that PlayOn is in the process of switching to HTML5 properly wont change anything as regards to playing their stream. They will still use a proprietary and DRM protected video format, and they will most certainly not make a plugin for Linux.
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LassePoulsenAug 7 '10 at 10:13

worthless still would need to run a windows box.
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schwizFeb 28 '11 at 4:14

1

Just a note, from two years later, still no HTML5 client (fully). Still no Linux port. Still no luck watching Netflix on Ubuntu.
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rlemonMar 12 '12 at 13:20

I read a while ago that it might be possible to run a Wii emulator instead of virtual box, but I don't think that would be an improvement for most people. I've been meaning to try Netflix in an android emulator since the app came out, however I still need to test if it will actually work. The problem is that the app is only "approved" for certain phones. There is a hack that is suppose to work for rooted phones, So I think there's a good chance this could be a better solution than virtual box, but it's hard to say for sure.

Moonlight, while it is an open-source alternative to Silverlight, does not work for Netflix. The reason that this does not work for Netflix is that Netflix also requires DRM support, which Moonlight does not give.

There IS a way to watch things on Netflix through Ubuntu though.

You will want to virtualize Windows XP/Vista/7 on Ubuntu. I would recommend Virtualbox, but you are free to use whatever you want. Under the virtual machine, you can use the real Silverlight and DRM-support and watch Netflix.